A trip to end zone would put Bradshaw above the pack

Imagine this scenario unfolding on Sunday at Super Bowl XLVI.

New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning takes the snap from center David Baas, turns and hands the football off to running back Ahmad Bradshaw.

With a blend of speed and power, the former Graham High School star rumbles his way into the end zone at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis with 70,000 people in attendance and millions watching on television.

If such a situation materializes, Bradshaw would become the first player from Southwest Virginia to score a Super Bowl touchdown.

Coming close

The Green Bay Packers and Kansas City Chiefs were deadlocked at 7 early in the second quarter of the inaugural Super Bowl at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.

With Green Bay in search of a big play, Wise, Va., native and Packers wide receiver Carroll Dale appeared to deliver it when he hauled in a 64-yard scoring strike from Bart Starr.

There was only one problem.

A flag was down.

Illegal procedure. Five-yard penalty from the previous spot. No TD.

“That was very early in the ballgame,” Dale said in a telephone interview earlier this week. “We watched the film later and we could not see an illegal procedure. Nobody moved. We figured it must have been a deal where they wanted to keep the game close and not let it get out of hand too quickly.”

Undeterred, Green Bay would score on the drive anyway with Jim Taylor putting six points on the scoreboard. The Packers would eventually claim a 35-10 victory.

“You just have to forget it and go on,” Dale said. “That’s the way it is. Especially early in the ballgame. It’s one of those unfortunate things. But we just wanted to take care of the time on the clock and Bart picked up a lot of first downs in that game – third and long, third and short – he got a bunch of them.”

Dale would play in three Super Bowls – winning two with those legendary Green Bay teams of head coach Vince Lombardi and losing one with the Minnesota Vikings – but he would never come closer to scoring a touchdown in the big game than he did that Sunday afternoon in 1967.

Honaker High School graduate Heath Miller has played in three Super Bowls with the Pittsburgh Steelers, winning two and losing one like Dale, and barely missed out on a touchdown in the 43rd edition of the spectacle.

On the opening play of the second quarter, Miller caught a strike across the middle from Pittsburgh quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.

After a 4-yard gain, two Arizona Cardinals defenders wrestled him to the ground just a yard short of the goal line. Pittsburgh would score on the next play and would go on to collect a 27-23 win.

It was the closest scoring moment Miller had in his three Super Bowl appearances, but as a starter for one of the most storied franchises in NFL history, the tight end could get more shots at a Super Bowl TD in the future.

In Super Bowl XLI, Chicago Bears running back Thomas Jones (Powell Valley) turned in an impressive night with 112 rushing yards and 18 receiving yards. However, his team lost to the Indianapolis Colts and he was held out of the end zone.

Bradshaw’s due

Now in his fifth professional season, Bradshaw has been one of New York’s most reliable players. He runs as hard as any running back in the NFL and also possesses an explosive first step.

Toughness is also one of his qualities. He missed four games during the regular season with a bothersome foot injury, but still managed to score a career-high 11 touchdowns – nine rushing and two receiving.

He’s had solid performances in the playoffs in wins over Atlanta, Green Bay and San Francisco but hasn’t reached the end zone in the last three games.

Perhaps he’s due for a touchdown.

And a chance to make some local history.

hayes@bristolnews.com | Twitter:@Hayes_BHCSports | (276) 645-2570